


Love at First Sight

by Lady_Sci_Fi



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 16:13:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19749241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Sci_Fi/pseuds/Lady_Sci_Fi
Summary: After two weeks, the Doctor's identification paperwork finally arrives, which means the Brigadier has to take him out to buy a car.





	Love at First Sight

“Here we are, Doctor, some good news for us.” Alistair announced as he entered the UNIT HQ lab. The Doctor and Liz were bent over a countertop, working on one thing or another. He placed an envelope on the counter in front of them to get their attention.

“What’s this?” the Doctor asked, only now looking up to the Brigadier.

“Your official identity paperwork.”

The Doctor picked up and opened the already unsealed envelope. He pulled out the contents and skimmed through them.

“So he’s legal?” Liz asked.

“As legal as I can make him,” Alistair answered.

“As legal as he needs to be, then.” Liz nodded.

“I must thank you for handling all this for me,” the Doctor said approvingly. “I couldn’t imagine dealing with all that bureaucracy over a simple matter.”

“Simple matter, indeed,” Liz teased. “Establishing an identity for a man who practically dropped out of the sky.”

The driver’s license slipped out between two pages, and the Timelord picked it up with a wide grin. “Finally.” He looked up expectantly to Alistair. “I think we’ve waited long enough to get me a car.”

“You’ll have to wait another couple of hours,” Alistair informed. “Then I’ll have the time to take you.”

The Doctor pouted slightly, then sighed. “I suppose that’s acceptable. I’ve already had to wait nearly two weeks.”

“I’m glad you accept that,” Alistair said dryly.

The Doctor turned to Liz. “You’re welcome to join us.”

“Oh no.” Liz held up her hands. “You two have fun.”

********

A couple hours later, Alistair had changed into civilian clothes, and he drove them to the nearest car dealership.

“You know this part could’ve been avoided if you had just let me keep the one I borrowed. I really rather liked it.”

“You know I couldn’t let-“ Alistair glanced sideways, and stopped talking at the joking expression from the other man. He shook his head.

“As long as we can find something similar.”

“We’ll see.” Alistair pulled into the dealership and advised, “Let me do the talking.”

They entered the lobby, and when a dealer came over to them, Alistair said, “Hello, we’re looking for something specific. Something a bit more… old-fashioned.”

“Old-fashioned?” the Doctor repeated.

“Yes, Doctor,” Alistair affirmed. He looked to the dealer again. “My friend has a specific style.”

The dealer looked the Doctor up and down, taking in his clothes. “Yes, rather looks like it. I don’t know if I have anything I would call old-fashioned, but let me take you out to look.”

Alistair ended up having to drag the Doctor away from an argument with the dealer out on the lot over exactly what he wanted. “Thank you for your time,” he said to the dealer, practically pushing the Doctor back to his car.

“I told you to let me do the talking,” Alistair chided as turned the key in the ignition.

“He obviously doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” the Doctor countered.

“Honestly, must you be so difficult?”

“I’m not being difficult,” the Timelord countered.

Alistair decided it wasn’t worth arguing the point, and mused that maybe he should’ve somehow convinced Miss Shaw to come along. The Doctor was less difficult with her around. Sometimes he wondered if the man did it on purpose.

The second and third dealerships didn’t have what the Doctor was looking for, and thankfully they left those on better, less argumentative, terms.

This was taking longer than Alistair would’ve liked, but he resigned to taking the Doctor to a fourth now. There was little chance the Doctor would accept giving up for today and possibly resuming tomorrow. If anything, the Doctor would be irritable, more so than usual, if he had to wait another day at least to find what he wanted. Maybe he should’ve put Sergeant Benton on this task, and saved himself the headache. But he would need to approve the car himself for the UNIT budget anyway, so his presence was for the best.

“This is the last one we’re checking today, Doctor,” Alistair informed.

“Why?”

“Because any left will probably be closing business soon. So, if you want one now, you better make a choice.”

“I believe I could wait another day for the right one.”

Alistair didn’t respond, and parked. The dealer guided them to the lot to look around.

The Doctor wandered around, muttering things like “No… This won’t do… Not quite…”

Alistair cleared his throat. “Doctor, could you get a move on?”

“This can’t be rushed,” the Doctor replied.

Alistair shrugged to the dealer in apology.

The Timelord wandered around for a few more minutes, before something on the far side of the lot caught his eye. “Hello? What’s that?” He practically bounded over, excited by his discovery.

Alistair followed at a normal pace, not certain what specifically had caught the Doctor’s attention, until he saw the man eagerly looking over an old-fashioned open-top yellow roadster.

“I want this one, Brigadier,” the Doctor announced only a few seconds later.

Alistair sighed, and supposed he shouldn’t have been too surprised at the choice. It was similar to the one the Doctor had borrowed from someone at that hospital. But that one had seemed a little more… classy in hindsight, especially compared to this one.

“This one?” Alistair asked for confirmation.

“Did you not hear me the first time? Yes, this one.”

Alistair imagined how it would look out in the field among the UNIT trucks and cars, and internally winced. Little protection, easy to spot. “But it’s bright yellow,” he pointed out.

“And? Is that a problem?”

“I suppose we could repaint it.”

“Repaint it?” The Doctor looked offended. “Why would you do such a thing? It looks perfect already.” He patted the car’s hood. “Don’t listen to him.”

“Are you sure you don’t want something more… modern?” Less garish, he added silently.

“Yes, I’m absolutely certain. This has a lot of charm, just like the other one. In fact, I’d say this one has more. Come now, you said I could choose whatever car I liked.”

“I did not say that.”

“Perhaps not in those exact words.” The Doctor grinned, and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Come on, Brigadier, let’s go for a test drive.”

Alistair got the keys from the dealer, and reluctantly got in the passenger side and handed them to the Timelord.

It wasn’t the most comfortable drive, with the size and shape of the seats meaning they were completely upright and their sides were touching the entire time. Maybe the Doctor would change his mind, with the performance seeming lower than the UNIT trucks. Much to Alistair’s annoyance, that did nothing to dissuade him.

“She’s perfect,” the Doctor concluded with a smile as they pulled back into the lot.

“You really think so? Perhaps we could find something similar tomorrow. One that isn’t so…”

“She’s perfect. I don’t make a habit of lying. So, when can I expect to see her again?”

If it had been left to Alistair completely, the answer would’ve been never. But he did need to keep the Doctor around, and a car was part of the conditions. If this was the car he wanted, well… he didn’t really have much choice. “We’ll have to ask the dealer about the paperwork and such. I don’t expect too long at all.” 

“Splendid!”

Alistair took the keys, and went to negotiate with the dealer. The Doctor stayed with the car, admiring it.

“What’s the price?” Alistair asked.

“You’re going to take it, then?”

“I couldn’t convince him otherwise.”

The dealer chuckled. “Alright, mate. Let’s head back inside to sort out the details.”

When Alistair came back out to get the Doctor, the Timelord patted the car’s hood with a quiet, “Don’t worry, you’ll be with me again soon.”

********

The next day, Alistair again drove the Doctor to the dealership. The Timelord eagerly greeted the car, and hopped in to drive the newly-named Bessie back to UNIT HQ. 

Alistair sighed and shook his head, but couldn’t help the tiny smile at the Doctor’s happiness.


End file.
